It's a Japanese term that could be translated as an awareness of the transience of things.

Like when you're driving home and the sun sets over the vast fields around you and the music's just right and the warm wind in your hair and your friends next to you and conversations go quiet and the long winding road ahead and your mind goes blank and you find yourself staring into the distance and then you snap out of it, everyone knowing you've all had, but can't keep, that moment that just passed.

I'm sure there are many more examples of these kind of moments... We all know them. We're all moved by them. They all stop time for us for just a second... and then we must move on.

Here's the introductory text:

So there you have it. Mono no aware. A new book.

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As you've read in the previous post, the road to this book hasn't exactly been easy. But now we're in that home stretch, and it feels right. Good people and friends helping. Hopefully we'll be at the press soon. And as always I'll be talking about every step of the way.... my fears and anxieties, thought processes, decisions, mistakes, and hopefully a tiny sprinkle of genius in there somewhere.

One thing for sure: I feel I need to make this book, tell this story, because, in a way I can't really explain, I believe it's important we keep our little moments just a little longer.